


Decisions, Decisions

by nimrod262



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: Everybody Lives, Fan-fiction, Love, M/M, Nivanfield, One-off, Piers’ reinstatement, Relationship(s), Short One Shot, post-Lanshiang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 05:47:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7210424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nimrod262/pseuds/nimrod262
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Chris makes his mind up, ain’t nothing gonna’ stop him!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Decisions, Decisions

**Author's Note:**

> Even us oldies occasionally like to hug our pillows, which is what gave rise to this little one-off. One of those pieces that just fell onto the page. I wish they all would!

 

November 2013: Chris snuggled into Piers' neck, kissing the folds in the pale flesh, running his tongue over and around the Adam's apple. Chris felt warm and secure, and he wanted Piers to feel the same.

He had opened up his old suite in the officer's mess once Piers had been allowed back onto the base. He wasn't ready to take Piers back to his home, not just yet. That would be a very public demonstration of their love. To be honest, he knew his home wasn't ready for the fastidious Piers anyway. But here, on the top floor of the mess, was somewhere they could both relax in private. Chris had never taken advantage of the perks of his being a founder of the B.S.A.A., until now.

That had been one of his easier decisions. Right now he was deciding what part of Piers to kiss next. Yet his Ace seemed tense tonight, despite his attention. He groaned inwardly, he would have to make conversation. He'd rather make love, he liked doing physical things, they were easy for the powerfully built man. Words, on the other hand, they were tricky. His own Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

"Um, how's your day been Piers?”

Piers sighed. If Chris could have seen them under the heavy duvet, he would have noticed Piers' eyes roll, ever so slightly. It was a warning sign. 'Proceed With Caution', it said. A signal that the young sniper was unhappy.

"More tests, more samples, more waiting. It's driving me friggin' crazy Chris." Piers sounded more than usually exasperated, he sounded at the end of his tether. "If I hadn't had the truck to fix up, I'd have gone mad months ago I swear. I get the feeling they think I'm mad anyway, and they've go a point. What sane person would inject themselves with C-virus? Now they want to predict what _will_ happen based on what _has_ happened."

"Like er, extrapolate you mean?"

"Yeh, analysing trends, modelling, predictive tests. I don't think they'll ever finish playing with their tame B.O.W." Piers buried his face into Chris' chest. "I'm fucked." It was almost a sob. The calm, cool, collected Piers Nivans was on the verge of losing it.

"Hey, calm down Piers, I'm here. I'm never leaving you alone again. You're....you're my family now. Hush there, I got you."

Chris hugged him tight, it was easier than words, and better too. He traced his fingers over the scars on Piers right side. They were still healing, on the inside just as much as on the surface. Chris kissed them and the tracery of veins that, even now, where glowing white against the pale skin. "They're beautiful babe, you're beautiful."

"You, you called me babe." sniffed Piers. "You've never said that before. It's....it's nice, and here's me crying like one. I didn't even ask how your day's been Chris, sorry, I'm being selfish."

"You don't ever have to apologise Piers, not to me." Chris hugged him again. "If I were in your place, the body count among the medical profession would be an _upward_ trend, ha!"

The joke eased Piers' tension. He managed a smile. "Thanks for that...so, in case I start blubbing again, how was _your_ day? Fighting the good fight?"

It was Chris' turn to sigh. "Yeh, much the same. I keep pushing for your reinstatement, telling them that I'll take full responsibility. And they keep saying wait for the reports, we haven't reached a decision, we need more time, yaddah, yaddah yaddah."

"Who's they?"

"Oh, the usual suspects!" The General Secretary, he doesn't want the UN embarrassed. Our Ambassador to the UN, he doesn't want the US government embarrassed. Our very own Director of Operations, she doesn't want to embarrass herself. Dr Kaison and his merry band of medics, because research is much more fun than real work. Christ, they all make me sick! They're treating you like the enemy goddamnit!"

”Colonel Valentine? I though she might be on your side?"

"Jill's playing safe. She likes her new job too much to put it at risk, so she's following the party line."

"Do they know...we're...this?"

"I don't know, and right now I don't fucking care." Piers could feel Chris puffing his chest up, a storm was brewing.

"You know it's what I've always wanted, but I worry about your position..."

"No one's gonna burst into the Captain's bedroom if that's what you mean. And besides, we've still got our shorts on if your worried about appearances Lieutenant."

"Like a few ounces of cotton are gonna' stop the man who punches boulders into submission."

"How bout' them stopping the man who never misses a shot?"

"True."

Chris was silent for a moment. Piers waited for the thunder and lightning; he didn't have long to wait.

"Fuck it! I'm tired of this waiting game, of you being treated like some freak. Jesus! You saved the world from Haos and they treat you like a lab rat!"

"Chris? Don't go off on one, please. Don't do something you, we, will regret later. Think it through first."

"No Ace, I've decided! I'm stopping it! Now!" Chris threw off the duvet and switched on the bedside light. Piers could see his face was flush, the veins on his temple and in his neck standing out in relief as he stood up. Chris looked at Piers with that familiar expression, the 'Don't stop me!' one. He must have seen the anxiety in Piers' eyes, because he bent down and kissed him on the head.

"Don't worry babe. When I get back you'll either be reinstated, or we'll both be unemployed. Either way, we'll be together."

"Chris, don't..." But Chris had already left the room.

************************

The bedroom opened onto a tiny kitchenette and a small, open-plan lounge. Chris covered the distance to his desk in a few purposeful strides. He sat down and picked up the phone. He was calm again, focussed. He'd made his decision, he wouldn't change his mind now.

The phone rang in the office high above Washington city. An office where the lights often burned all through the night. The Director picked it up immediately, the call was on his personal line.

"Dee? It's Chris, can we talk?"

"Christopher dear boy, always a pleasure. Though from the tone of your voice, I think you want me to listen rather than talk. Is it Gillian? Has she been ruffling the bear's fur again? Ha, ha!"

"Amongst others, you know who I mean. Look, I'll come straight to the point Dee. I want Lieutenant Nivans back on Alpha, with full operational status, starting Monday. We're partners again Dee, in _every_ sense of the word. I've had enough of this constant prevarication. It stops now! This is not negotiable. If it doesn't happen, the only thing to negotiate will be the terms of our resignations from the B.S.A.A. I, we, have decided."

"And what exactly do you want me to do dear boy?" Dee hadn't missed the stress on the word 'every'.

"Nothing Dee, absolutely nothing. When they come running to you, and they will, you do nothing, to help them, or to stop me. I'm calling in all favours on this one, do you understand?"

"Oh Christopher, perfectly dear boy. You have my full support, no need for threats, it's a marvellous decision. I'm very happy, for you and your delightful Lieutenant. Though I think I shall miss your undivided attention from now on my disobedient servant, ha ha! I envy young Piers the journey that now lies ahead, but there we are...sniff. It won't be easy dear boy...sniff."

"Dee? Are you...?

"Certainly not! Now go and tell your 'partner' the good news. One of your better decisions I think Christopher, ha ha! I'll keep the wolves from the door, it will be rather fun. Goodbye, and say goodnight to young Piers from me too. I take it he's....?"

"You old fox! You take it correctly. Goodnight Dee....and thanks, I knew I could rely on you."

Dee put the phone down and wiped his rheumy eyes. His aide, Mike Lugano, came in, and placed a small tray on the desk. It carried a beaker containing assorted pills, an espresso dopio and a single-malt scotch.

"I heard the phone go Boss, Is everything OK?" The Bronx accent was uncharacteristically tender. Mike had noticed the Director's red eyes. "Have you been crying? Has someone upset you?" He smacked a large fist into an equally large hand. Mike had ways of dealing with people who upset his employer.

Dee had caught the movement as he swallowed down the coffee, pointedly ignoring the pills. He would savour the whisky later.

"Quite the reverse Michael, quite the reverse. They are tears of joy. Dear Christopher and his delightful Lieutenant, it's going just as I hoped it would. And I don't have to do a thing, Christopher told me himself. Isn't that marvellous?"

"You mean...?"

"Yes. You've heard of the expression 'turning a blind eye'?"

"Yeh, from that old Limey Admiral, Hornblower was it?"

"Nelson, Gunny, Horatio Nelson! Sometimes I swear you say these things to annoy me, ha ha! Do you?" Dee looked up inquiringly at his old friend.

"Boss, as if! I'm hurt, I'm not as thick skinned as you think."

"Michael, you're a former US Marine Gunnery Sergeant. I know exactly how 'thick' your skin is, ha ha! Listen, things are quiet just now in the war against Bioterrorism. The world is still in shock post Lanshiang. But sometime in the not too distant future, our enemies will re-group, consolidate. Then there will be a battle to the death. This partnership between Christopher and Piers is going to help us win that final battle Michael, I'm sure of it." Dee took out his inhaler and sucked in twice, 'puff, puff'. Then he continued.

"At the moment they're both damaged. One mentally, the other physically. But if they can repair themselves, by whatever means they freely choose, they will be so much more than just two whole men again. They will make a truly formidable pairing, a force in it's own right. They will become the two aces up my sleeve. Do you see Michael?"

"I see Boss. It's a shame not everything's so simple.

"What do you mean Michael?"

"Getting you to take your medicine and then get some rest." He held up the beaker in front of the Director. "Here, take them, now!"

"Oh Gunny! I sometimes think it would have been better if you'd left me in Beirut." The Director grimaced as he swallowed the pills along with the whisky. It was a waste of a fine malt.

"Me too Boss, me too." sighed Mike as he turned to leave; having witnessed the pills go down first.

"I heard that Michael!"

"You were meant to!"

************************

When Chris returned to the bedroom, he found Piers cuddling his pillow, his nose buried deep in the material. Piers looked up. A little surprised, and a little guilty

"Oh! Um, I missed you, this was the next best thing." The hazel eyes sparkled, Chris felt his own heart tighten. "Who were you talking to?" asked Piers.

Chris smiled. "The Director. You start work Monday. The Docs will have to make do with what they've got for now. Welcome back to Alpha Ace!"

"Outstanding!" Piers threw the cover off and patted the space beside him. "And welcome back to bed Captain."

Chris hesitated for an instant. He saw a pair of green regulation boxer short on the floor. "Piers! Have you taken your shorts off?"

"Yeh, while you were gone I made a decision too. Appearances don't matter anymore....."

Chris grinned as he reached down to his own boxers. "In that case, I'd better join you." He stepped out of them and into the bed.

They snuggled up close once again. Piers could feel the heat from the man-furnace that lay next to him. The same heat he'd noticed on a plane once in a faraway time, that he'd dreamt of sharing ever since.

"Piers? Will you...." Chris scratched the back of his head. He was about to make another important decision that evening. "Will you move in with me, into my home, as my partner?"

"Mmm, decisions, decisions. Let me sleep on it." Piers knew how to tease, he closed his eyes.

"Sleep? Who said anything about sleep?"

"That's one of your most convincing arguments yet Captain." The hazel eyes suddenly flashed open, bright, dazzling, beguiling, mesmerising. "Yes Chris. Nothing in this whole wide world would make me happier!"

"Yes? Right then, let's do it. Now!"

**Author's Note:**

> 'Decisions, Decisions’ comes immediately before 'Good As New’ in my main AU Nivanfield timeline. I’m gradually filling in all the blanks from Chris and Piers’ first meeting in ‘The Man in 17B’ to their deaths (in old age) in ‘Just The Beginning’. I’m currently working on another AU, with a Cowboy/Western theme, stay tuned! As always, your comments are much appreciated. nimrod :)


End file.
